Frieze of Angels (continued)

The south wall frieze contains eight figures of angels holding the instruments of the Passion of Christ. We see, for example, stylized versions of the spear, nails, column, and crown of thorns from the Christian story of Jesus’ death. For the sake of symmetry, the seven archangels traditionally understood as attendants at the crucifixion here number eight instead. The two central figures, whose garments are decorated with symbols of the eucharist, support the base of a very high-relief crucifix that extends upward, visually uniting lunette and frieze.